The present invention relates to a novel magazine for feeding cartridges into a rifle or other small arms where magazines are used. More particularly, the present invention is directed to an inexpensively manufactured magazine unit or package which is assembled fully loaded with ammunition and which includes a tear-off seal.
The use of magazines for rifles and other barreled weapons is, of course, very well known. However, the known types of magazines have several disadvantages. For instance, conventional magazines are often made of metal and thus are relatively expensive to manufacture. Some magazines are made from plastic material. These magazines are usually sold without the ammunition already loaded therein; if the ammunition is included in the magazine, the user can never be certain that all the rounds of ammunition have been loaded into the magazine or that the ammunition has not been tampered with prior to coming into his possession.
In order to be more economical, these magazines are usually reused. Thus, they must be open at one end in order to reload the ammunition. However, this arrangement has the disadvantage of allowing external elements, such as dirt or water, to enter into the magazine if the magazine is dropped. This may affect either the cartridge or the operation of the rifle itself. Moreover, each subsequent reloading of the magazine must occur by hand or by machine which, in any event, takes up more time and effort than is desired.
Furthermore, packages with tear-off seals are conventional for various types of products. However, prior to my invention, no one has devised a package with a tear-off seal which also has the dual function of functioning as a firearm magazine which can but need not be disposable.